Bahrain inks US deal on heels of prison hunger strike

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WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday hailed strengthened ties and shared interests with Bahrain, a long-standing US partner in the Persian Gulf whose government has been accused of muzzling its peaceful opposition.  

Blinken hosted Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is also prime minister, at the State Department for the signing of a bilateral agreement aimed at bolstering security and defense cooperation, enhancing economic ties and strengthening collaboration on science and technology. 

“At the heart of the agreement is a shared goal: working together to build a region that is more secure, more prosperous, and that's more connected to the world economy,” Blinken said in a joint announcement.